Example 2

EXAMPLE 2
CONVERGING FLOW OF A BIRD-CARREAU LIQUID
AT A HIGH FLOW RATE
DESCRIPTION
In the first example, a low volumetric flow rate has been considered. Small values for the
shear-rate were involved (Q = 0.5 cm3/s), so that the viscous behaviour could essentially be
characterized by the plateau-zone for the Bird-Carreau fluid. Very little shear-thinning was
introduced, even though a low value for the power index (0.4) had been selected. In the
present situation, we consider the same geometry at a high volumetric flow rate (Q = 100
cm3/s), so that typical shear-rates will be located in the shear-thinning region.
Strong non-linearities are introduced which can lead to some numerical difficulties
characterized by a loss of convergence of the iterative scheme. In the present case, two
quantities can be considered as a source of non-linearity: the high volumetric flow rate, and
the low power-law index. Our purpose here is to show how to handle a non-linearity, and
what kind of strategy can be used in order to circumvent the numerical difficulty linked to
convergence of the problem.
A first possible strategy consists of using an evolution scheme on the power-law index which
will decrease stepwise from 1 (constant viscosity) to 0.4, for the selected flow rate. This has
the advantage of being cost effective: three or four evolution steps are generally enough. The
major drawback is that only the final solution is of interest, since the intermediate solutions
involve different fluids with different power indices.
The second possible strategy consists of applying an evolution scheme on the flow rate which
will increase from a low value to the desired one, while the material parameters remain
constant. This strategy can lead to a relatively high computational cost, but it has the
advantage of producing intermediate solutions which are physically meaningful for the
current problem, since they are related to the flow of the same fluid at various flow rates.
However, let us recall that, for inelastic 2-D calculations like the present one, the CPU cost is
not that important.
The geometry and the finite element mesh used here are the same as for the first example. We
will show how to restart with an existing data file, namely, the one which has been generated
for the first example. We will concentrate on the set-up of an evolution problem, with the
specification of the parameters and also show how to modify the boundary data.

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Example 2

KEYWORDS
Non-linear strategy, evolution on the flow rate, restart from an existing data file, restart from
an existing result file.

FILENAMES
conv.mdf, conv.msh, conv_evo.dat, conv_evo.cons.

POLYDATA SESSION
- Filename syntax:
- File preferences:
. New prefix: conv_evo
- Read a mesh file: conv.msh
- Read an old data file: conv_ini.dat
- Redefine global parameters of a task:
F.E.M. task, Evolution, 2D axisymmetric geometry
- F.E.M. Task 1:
- Converging flow:
. Domain: whole mesh (unchanged)
. Material data (unchanged)
. Flow Boundary Conditions:
BS1: axis of symmetry (unchanged)
BS2: Inflow: Flow rate: Q = 100 (Automatic calculation, Volumetric)
with EVOL on Q: f(S) = S
See note 1
BS3: Vn = Vs = 0 (unchanged)
BS4: Outflow (unchanged)
- Numerical parameters:
. Previous solution stored in file: conv_ini.res
See note 2
. Evolution parameters:
See note 3
Initial value of S = 0.005
Final value of S = 1.0
Initial value of delta-S = 0.005
Use of the implicit Euler method for the integration
- Ouputs:
- Default output : CFD-Post
- System of units for CFD-Post: metric_cm/g/s/A+Celsius
- Probes (optional)
. probe 1: prefix = cnvevo_1, location = (0. , 7.)
. probe 2: prefix = cnvevo_2, location = (0. , 9.)
. probe 3: prefix = cnvevo_3, location = (0. , 11.)
- Save and Exit:
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- Polyflow datafile:
- Polyflow resultfile:
- Polyflow restartfile:
- CFD-Post:

conv_evo.dat
conv_evo.res
conv_evo.rst
conv_evo.cfx.res

Note 1: evolution on the flow rate

A high volumetric flow rate (100) is entered. This value corresponds to the nominal flow rate.
We define an evolution scheme on this flow rate. During the evolution scheme, the flow rate
at a given step will be determined as the product of the nominal flow rate times the current
value of the selected function f(S): f(S) = S in this example. The parameter S will vary
between bounds to be specified later.
In order to specify an evolution scheme on a parameter (the flow rate, for example), before
modifying the value of the parameter, we activate the EVOL key in order to enable the menu
for evolution functions: in ASCII mode, we type EVOL in the command line, while in graphic
mode we have to click on the EVOL button. Then, we modify the value of the parameter.
Next, a new menu appears presenting the list of existing evolution functions. We have to
select one of them and update the corresponding data. Finally, after having selected the
evolution function f(S), we can disable the menu by clicking or typing anew the EVOL key.
Note 2: restart from an old result file
As initial solution, we use the result file obtained from the first example.
Note 3: evolution parameters
The various parameters of the evolution scheme are choosen on the basis of the following
arguments. We have an initial solution for a flow rate Q1 = 0.5. We wish a solution for a flow
rate Q2 = 100. The non-linear strategy is applied to Q, which varies with a function f(S) = S.
We select S-init = 0.005, so that Q-init = Q1 = Q2 S-init. The first attempt to solve a flow
problem within the evolution will correspond to S = S-init. We leave S-final as it is
(default: 1), so that Q-final = Q2 = Q2 S-final.

RUNNING POLYFLOW
For solving the current problem, we have three input files, namely conv.msh, conv_evo.dat
and conv_ini.res. The latter contains an initial solution for the evolution problem we are
solving. conv_evo.dat is the standard input file for POLYFLOW. As standard output file, a
listing conv_evo.lst is generated, the name of which is selected by the user. Again a result file
conv_evo.res is generated. Another file is conv_evo.rst: it contains the S-derivative of the
different fields, according to the selected evolution scheme. It can also be used for a restart
procedure if the evolution needs to be pursued.

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Many other files are generated: their names are conv_evo.cfx.res and conv_evo.cfx/i_full.trn
where i is the intex of a successful evolution step. In the listing file, information on S is
displayed at every step. For example, one sees that step #1 has been done with S=0.005. Let
us recall here that 0.005 has been selected for S-init since it corresponds to the initial solution
as obtained in the first example. The value 0.005 has also been selected for dS-init. Since step
#1 has been successful, the parameter OKINCR has the logical value T(rue): the evolution
scheme is ready for incrementing S with the new increment dSnew = 0.075. More generally,
as step #i is finished, mesh and result files (for graphic post-processing) are generated with
the suffix i. They correspond to the value of S which appears in the listing file. The
parameter S itself is an information on the flow rate, the only parameter which is S-dependent
in the current problem.

GRAPHIC POST-PROCESSING
As in the first example, we can display the velocity vectors and streamlines, and this for
various values of the flow rate. Looking into the listing file conv_evo.lst, one sees that steps 2,
6 and 12 correspond to S = 0.0125, 0.1039 and 1, respectively. The volumetric flow rate is then
approximately 1, 10 and 100 cm3/s, respectively. In Fig. 1, we display the pressure profile
along the axis of symmetry, for those three particular flow rates.

Fig 1. Converging flow of a Bird-Carreau liquid: pressure profiles along the axis of symmetry,
for various volumetric flow rates (1, 10 and 100 cm3/s).

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